If you are reading this column, you are passionate about the work of ministry. You may pastor a church, coach ministers, provide consulting services or lead a congregation through an interim time. This is good and noble work that we are invested in, and we often read...

My mother-in-law died twenty-five years ago. One of my wife’s brothers, also a pastor, preached the eulogy. His title for his message was, “How the Church Saved My Family.” In it he described his mother’s home life as a child. He held nothing back as he explained...

I love this time of year, don’t you? Even though the days are getting shorter, I love the cool, crisp air and the changing colors of fall. It’s nice cutting the AC down at home. Pleasant evenings find Cindy and me sitting in the backyard around a crackling fire...

My grandmother often used a word to describe herself or other people. It was the word “ill”. She did not use it to describe someone who was sick with a cold or the flu. She used it to describe an attitude, a demeanor, or a spirit. For example, if someone were rude or...